Graphite-lubricator.



Patenied Dec. I0, 190|.

f, GaELow, sw.` GRAPHITE LUBRICTR.

(Application filed Feb. 4, 1901.)

(Ho Model.)

,jmd f7..

SIM/FWHM UNITED STATESV FREDERICK GIELOW, SR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNO' TO FREDERICK GIELOW, JR., AND CHARLES BURMEISTER, .O F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

G RAPI--I-'ITE-LUBFHCATOR.4

SPCFICATGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,632, dated December 10, 1'901. l -pplbiofsttion filed February 4,1201. Serial No. 45,984. (No model.)

dent of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Graphite-Lubricators, of which the following is a specification and whichv arey illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a' part thereof. j

The invention relates to improvements in graphite-lubricators for steam-engines, tbc., in which the lubricant is conveyed or forced from a'reservoir into a discharge-pipe and thence carried by uid under pressure vin small particles to the part of an engine or machine to be lubricated.

The invention has particular reference to f the graphite-lubricator shown and described in 'an application for patent iled by me December 3, 1900, SerialNo. 38,441, forgraphitelubricator, although it will be obvious that it may be adapted to any lubrioator operating on the same principle and where the same retom of the reservoir.

fsults attained by my invention are sought.

The invention comprises a suitable reser- Voir having a discharge-pipe leading from the bottom thereof and opening into a chambered casing, from which the lubricant is conveyed through a feed-pipe bya fluid under pressure, a spring-closed conical check-valve being located at the mouth of the outer end of thel discharge-pipe to prevent the admission of steam or water of condensation into the reservoir and also to separate the emerging rod of lubricant into small masses. In addition to the conical Valve a slide or reciprocating valve is located in the discharge-pipe between the check-valve and the 'mouth of the inner end of the discharge-pipe. A plunger reciprocating in a trough in the bottom of the reservoir forces the lubricant into the dischargepipe and carries a post, through the aperture of which passes a cam-lever having loose connection with the slide-valve, the lever oper- :ating to open and close the'valve in the discharge-pipe and being pvoted to a suitable lsupport within the reservoir. A relief-duct, 'closed by aV spring-controlled valve, leads 'from the discharge-pipe between the slideto 'valve and the reservoir to permit of the esfcapc or overflow of graphite should the same become packed within the pipe and tend to prevent the entrance of the plunger within the mouth of the same.

The invention consists in the construction 5 5 hereinafter described, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the several parts of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail plan 6o section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.l Figs. 3 and 4C are details showing therelieE-valve and the mechanism for holding the same to' its seat. Figs. 5 and 6 are detailsof the apertured post carried by the reciprocating plunger for opening and closing the slide-valve in the discharge-pipe. Fig. 7 is a verticalV section showing a modification ot the slide-valve and construction of the discharge-pipe, and Fig. Sis a detail view of the form of slide- 7o valve shown in Fig. 7.

15 designates the reservoir or lubricant-receptacle, having a discharge-pipe 17, forming a continuation of a trough 1G across the bot- Reciprocating Within the trough 16 and into and out of the pipe 17 and driven byany suitable means providing, preferably, an intermittent or step-bystep action is a plunger 18, its forward end at the limitoE its backward movement being 8o drawn partially across the bottom of the reservoir in order that graphite may fall in the trough 16 in the path of the plungerand upon its advance be forced into the dischargepipe 17.

The plunger i8 extends throughthe bottom of the reservoir, a stuihng-box 28 being provided atthat pointwhereitis connected up with the operating mechanism, (Notshown.) A cross-arm 19 is carried by the plunger for 9o disintegrating the graphite within the reservoir 15 and insuring its feed to the dischargepipe 17 as the plunger is withdrawn therefrom.

The discharge-pipe 1.7 is provided at the outer or discharge end with a flaring mouth 95 20, which communicates with a chambered casing 2 a, the mouth 20 being closed bya conical check-valve 21, normally held to its seat by a spring 22, encircling the valve-stem 23 and interposed between the base of the valve loo and an adjustable Yguide-stem 24, which has a longitudinal counterbored Aguide-socket to receive the valvestem, and is externally screw-threaded to provide adj ustable-connection with the casing inorder to regulate the tension of the spring 22.

A stuffing-box 26, vlocated around the threaded connection of the casing 2Oa and the stem 24prevenis leakage thereat. A pipe 25 for conveying fluid under pressure to feed the graphite enters the casing 20a', having a suitable valve 25a thercm for shutting od the fluid, and a conveying-pipe 26 leads from the casing. Both of the pipes 25 and 26, or either, may be provided with sight feed-tubes 27.

The parts constituting the lubricator thus far described are "shown and more full-y describedrn luy application for patent tiled Deycember3, 1900, Serial No. 38,441.

` I shall nou" describe in detail the im proveliiente herein sought to be -secured and their j" lubricator shown.

adaptation and use in connection with the Pivotally connectedto stud 29, located at the bottom of the reservoir 15,'is a cam lever 'or arm 36', consisting of two straight sections connected by au l inclined or beveled section 37, the free end ot' which "lever enters a slot 32 at the upper end of a valve 3l, adapted to slide or reciprocate in a passage 34, crossing the path of the plunger 18 in the discharge-pipe v1.7. aperture 33, through which passes the end of vthe plunger 18 when the former has moved to open the passagei the discharge-pipe 17. v Fixed to the plunger 18 isa post 38, havmg an aperture 39, the upper and lower walls ofbwhich are beveled at diagonally opposite points, as indicated by 38al and 39, respectively, the aperture serving as a guide for the cam-lever 3b', -which passes therethrough. It will be seen that as the plunger reciprocates, carrying with it the post 38, the cam-lever will be moved on its pivot whenever the cam or inclined section 37 of' the lever 36 engages the beveled upper or lower walls of the aperture in passing therethrough, and the sliding valve will be opened or closed, according to the direction in which the plunger is traveling.

It is to be observed that the cam or inclined section 37 of the lever 36 is so positioned with reference to the length of the lever that it is not engaged by the beveled Walls of the aperture of the post 38 until the end of the plu nger 18 has entered the mouth 35 in the reservoir 15 of the dischargefpipe 17, in order that the aperture 33 of the slide-valve 31 may not open communication between the aring mouth 2() and the in terior of the reservoir and permit any steam that might by accident leak past the valve 2l and through the mass of graphite in the flaring mouth 20 to enter the reservoir.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modification of the slide or reciprocating valve. In this case the spindle-valve 31, having a passage therethrough for the end of the plunger 18, is dispensed withand a flat slidevalve 40 substitulted, theseat therefor, 40, being formed cor.-

'i`he slide-valve ,31 has'anrespondin gl y to receive the same. Preferably the lower edge of the slide-valve 40 is beveled and concaved, as shown at 41.

In operation the modified form of valve is raised out of the path of the plunger 18 -just after the latter enters the mouth 35 ot' the`discharge-pipe 17 and rescats itself before the plunger is entirely withdrawn from' the discharge-pipe. The beveled or sharpened edge enables the valve to c ut a way for itself through the compact massof graphite without difficulty, and by 'shaping the edge as shown the valve need be raised only until its concave edge is in aliuciuent with the inner wall of the passage.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 7 the easing 20 instead of being made integral with the bottom of the reservoir, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a threaded nipple 52, which screws into the side wall of the bottom of the reservoir. This nipple has a slot 53 cut through the walls thereof, designed to aline with the valve-seat 40a for the passage ot' the valve, and another aperture 54 opens into the valve-closed relief-duct 43.

To avoid undue packing of graphitehin the discharge-pipe between the valve 31 and the mouth at the iu'ne'r end of the discharge-pipe, which might occur by accident or through tampering/.Withy the plunger-operating mechanism and probably result in a breakage of the mechanism, as the plunger would be prevented from reciprocating to the limit of its movement, a reliefuct 43, leading from the discharge-passage ack into the reservoir, is provided. This duct is closed by a valve 46, hinged at 45. The valve isnormally kept to its seat by a spring 47, which encirclesa stem 49 and reacts'betweeu the head 48 of the stem and the free end ot' the hin-ged rod. 'One end of the stein 49 passes through' the bottom of the reservoir and is screw-threaded to receive a nut 51 for regulating the tension of the spring, and a nut 50 is provided to lockthe nut 51 against movement.

In operation a step-by-step or intermittent movement is given to the plunger 18 by suitable operating mechanism, and the plunger 18 reciprocates in the trough in the bottom of the reservoir 15, the end entering the mouth 35 of the barrel 17 and forcing the graphite, which has been disintegrated by the crossbai-19, into the discharge-pipe 17 and through the flaring mouth 20 past the conical valve 21, which separates the graphite into small masses or particles. The graphite in this condition enters the casing 20, Where it is caught by the steam or other fluid under pressure entering the said casing by the pipe 25. The lubricant then passes through the pipe 27 and is conveyed to the working parts to be lubricated. The conical valve 2l closes the flaring mouth 20 of the discharge-pipe when the pressure on the graphite is Withdrawn by the recession ot' the plunger` 18 and is held to its seat byfthespring 22 t'prevent steainor Water'of condensation, from enter- Iooy IIO

ing the reservoir through the mouth 20. As the plunger 1S reciprocates it carries with it the guide-post 38through the aperture 39 of which the cam-lever 3G passes, and when the beveled bottom wall 39 of the aperture comes in contact with the lower beveled edge of the eam-lever the said lever,moving on its pivot" in the post 29, lifts the Valve 31 in its seat until the passage registers with the passage in the discharge-pipe 17,the cam being so positioned with relation to the length of the lever 3G that the alinement does not take place until the forward end of the plunger 18 has entered the mouth 35. When the plunger 18 is recededin its reciprocation, the upperbeveled wall 38 of the aperture 39 in the post 3S bears against the cam-face on the upper edge of the lever'SG, whereby the free end of the lever is forced downwardly, and moving the valve 31 closes the opening in the passage in the discharge-pipe 17, the linal closing of the said passage taking place before the end ofthe plunger 18 has left the month at the inner end of the discharge-passage.

If by accident that portion of the barrel between the slide-'valve 31 and the mouth 35 becomes packed or filled to excess with graphite when the plunger 18 is moved into the mouth 35, the graphite will be forced out of the discharge-pipe by way ofthe duct 43 and past the valve 46, the plate 44 opening against the resistance of the spring 49 and being closed thereby when the pressure of the graphite is removed.

In carrying out my invention various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not limit myself to mechanical details. For example, while I have shown a slide-valve operated by the plunger, it will be obvious that another form of valve might be employed and the same results attained.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe therefor, a plunger reciprocating in the discharge-pipe and including in its range of travel the opening between the reservoir and the discharge-pi pe, and a valve located in the discharge-pipe and operated by the plunger.

2, In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a rr-..-ervoir, a discharge-pipe, a plunger reciprocating into and out of the mouth of the discharge-pipe, a valve adapted to close the pas'- sage in the discharge-pipe, and means governed by the movement of the plunger for operating the valve.

3. In a graphite-lubricator, in'combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe, a Y-salve adapted to close the passage in the discharge-pipe, a plunger reciprocating in the discharge-pipe and past the valve, and means governed by the movement of the plunger for operating the valve. l i

4. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a dischargepipe therefor, a plunger reciprocating into and out of the discharge-pi pe, a valve adapted to close the passage in the discharge-pipe, and means ,governed by the movement of the plunger for closing the valve before the withdrawal ofthe plunger from the discharge-pipe.

5, In a graphite-lubrieator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pi pe, aplunger reciprocating into and out of the mouth of the discharge-pipe, a valve located in the dischargepipe, and means governed bythe plunger for operating the valve, the movement of the latter being so timed that it does not open until the end of the plunger has entered the mouth of the discharge-pipe nor close before the plunger leaves the discharge-pipe.

6. Ina graphite-lubricator, in combination,

through, a lever pivoted within the reservoir carrying the slide-valve, and means carried by the plunger for operating thev lever.

8. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe, a plunger reciprocating in the discharge-pipe, a slide-valve adapted to close the 'passage in the dischargepipe, a lever pivoted within the reservoir and carrying the slide-valve, and means for 0perating the lever.

9. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pi pe, a plunger reciprocating into and out of the mouth of the discharge-pipe, a slide-valve adapted to close the passage in the discharge-pipe, a cam-lever pivoted within the reservoir and having connection with the slide-valve, a post supported by the plunger and having an aperture, the upper and lower walls of which are beveled and adapted to coperate with the cam-lever to open and close the valve.

10. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe, a plunger reciprocating into and out of the mouth of the discharge-pipe, a slide-valve adapted to close the passage in the discharge-pipe, a lever pivoted within the reservoir and having a loose connection -with the slide valve and being provided with an intermediate cam-section, a post supported by the plunger and havingan aperture, the upper and lower walls of which are beveled at diagonally opposite points and adapted to cooperate with the cam-section of the lever to operate the slide-valve.

11. In a graphite-lubricator, in combina` tion, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe, a plunger reci proeating in the discharge-pipe, a valve adapted to close the passage in the dischargepipe, means governed by the plunger-.for operating the valve, the discharge-pipe having ICO plunger for operatin g theval ve, the discharge-- pipe having a relief-duct located therein be- Atween its inner end and the valve, and a spring-controlled pivoted valve adapted to close the relief-duct.

13'. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination; a reservoir, a discharge-pipe, a plunger reciprocating-into and out of the dischargepipe, a check-valve seated in the outer end of the discharge-pipe, a valve adapted to close the passage in the discharge-pipe, and mechanism for opening the latter valve on the advance of the plunger.

14. In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe, a plunger reciprocating in the discharge-pipe, a slidevalve adapt-ed to close the passage in the discharge-pipe, a lever pivotcd Within the reservoir and carrying the slide-valve, and a post supported by the plunger and having an apertu re through which the lever passes and adapted to eoact with the same to operate the valve.

l5, In a graphite-lubricator, in combination, a reservoir, a discharge-pipe therefor, a plunger reciprocating in the discharge-pipe and including in its range of travel the opening between the reservoir and the dischargepipe,a valve for the discharge-pipe, and means governed by the movement ofthe plunger for closing the valve before the withdrawal of the plunger beyond the opening between the reservoir and the discharge-pipe.

FREDERICK GIELOVV, SR. iVituesses:

ARTHUR B. SEIBOLD, LoUrs K. GrLLsoN. 

